Why I Reached Out
by Mists
Summary: This is a story about Davis reflecting back on why he reached out to Ken in Digimon 02. It's all written from Davis's first person POV. Lot's of deep character exploration with some drama, angst, and one-sided friendships. One-shot, but may have a connecting sequel. Also brief reference to my Davis's backstory found in my other fic "Ramen Soup for the Soul."


**Disclaimer:** This is written for all the Davis and Digimon 02 fans out there! I don't own anything. This is all for nostalgia and love of the show. I think this is the first time I've written a fic in first person, so lets see how this goes.

This story is just Davis reflecting back on the events of 02 and why he felt compelled to help Ken the way he did. There's lots of brief moments with other characters and I added a bunch of things to help flesh Davis out as a character. I make brief reference to a bit of my Davis's backstory that I established in my other Digimon work, **"Ramen Soup for the Soul."** So you might want to go back and read that one before you dive into this fic. I hope you all enjoy.

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 **~Why I Reached Out~**

 **~By: Mists~**

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It was a lot of things really, that made me first reach out to Ken. I already told my friends about the Crest of Kindness and how it reacted that day in Ken's base. It felt like it was pleading with me to give Ken a second chance. It gave Veemon and me the tools to not only take down Ken... but to also help save him from himself. The crest wouldn't have reacted that way if Ken were truly an evil person. Deep down, he still had to hold that core virtue in his heart. I just... felt it.

Look, I know all this is very hard to understand. Heck, I really don't know if I totally get it all myself. But I've always been the kind of person who seems to feel things well... _deeper_ than others. Everything I feel, kinda explodes out of me. It's just always been part of who I am. Some people see it as being obnoxious or having no self-control. To that I say, well that's just _**me**_. And I'm not going to change because you think that I should. If you don't want to be my friend because of that, well then that's your loss, not mine. Simple as that.

I didn't always think like that though. It took a long time for me to come to terms with the fact that not everyone I met was going to be my friend. And some friendships take a lot more work than others. It doesn't mean they're any less important, they're just kinda different in how they work. It still hurts sometimes when people can't see beyond the surface, but there aren't many out there who see the world the same way I do.

It was mostly because of one unique person that I decided to help Ken. Or rather... remembering her _loss_ was what drove me to do it.

" _ **Why? Why do I keep losing people!"**_ was what Ken cried out that day after Wormmon burst apart right before his eyes.

It was _raw_ and _cutting_ his pain. Despair, loneliness, and loss. So much loss. I felt it all really deeply, because it had been so similar to my own. It was the same way I felt when I lost her. I've only ever told Ken, Veemon, and Kari this... And lately, I've been thinking of telling the others as well, especially Cody. But it's hard for me. I don't like feeling that... exposed. Kinda stupid, huh? For someone who always says that keeping pain inside will only destroy you, and that you should let your friends help you through it. I'm great at helping others, but when it comes to myself? Well, let's just say some old wounds are still sorta deep.

Anyway... I'm stalling again, aren't I? Well, here it goes. Long ago, I once had an aunt, and her name was Mai. She was my mother's little sister and the total living embodiment of awesome! Every time I got to hangout with Mai, I'd just bounce off the walls. She was the greatest babysitter of all time, and honestly acted _way_ more like my sister than Jun did. Mai loved life, she always saw the best in people and inspired everyone around her to be the best that they could be. She saw beauty in the world and in others like no one else I had ever seen. I idolized her.

And then one day, she got sick. Mai went to the doctor, and I thought he would fix her like he always did for me. But he couldn't this time. From then on Mai bounced from doctor to doctor. But through it all she kept her spirits high and tried to make everyone think positively. But I could tell that Mai couldn't do it all alone. So I began to help, we'd go on adventures with the other kids in the hospital. We'd point out the beauty and wonder in the smallest things. Flowers, trees, sunrises, sunsets, and we took joy in every moment we had. But no matter what the doctors tried, Mai's body just kept getting weaker.

One day when I came to visit, Mai seemed a little off. Her smile was sad, but she still looked at me with such light in her eyes. And before I left, she quickly grabbed my hand and said, "Davis, whatever happens, promise me one thing..." I just laughed at her at the time, not understanding what she was trying to tell me.

" _ **Promise me, that you will live."**_

"What?" I asked in confusion. What the heck did that mean?

"That you will live every day to the fullest," she explained with a slight grin, "and bring your light to everyone you can."

I just snorted and said she was acting silly, but that... yeah of course I will.

She then let go of my hand, and I left...

The next day, Mom and I came back to visit and we found her bed empty. I heard Mom asking where she was in the hall... and then she started to cry.

The next thing I knew, Mom was holding me against her chest, saying that Mai was gone.

Gone? What did she mean, _gone?_ I had of course heard about death before. I knew what it was, but it wasn't until much later that I fully got it.

I'd wake up sometimes, wondering if Mom would take me to see Mai that day. But then I'd remember... and start to cry. Everywhere I went, something reminded me of Mai. All the things she loved were still here, except she wasn't. How could everything still go on without her? Did no one care?

For the longest time, it was like... the whole world had lost its color. Everything seemed bland and dull; I started pushing people away. How could they understand? Mai gave all that she had to keep living, and she failed. That wasn't supposed to happen! Good always triumphs, right? I felt betrayed by everything. She was _gone!_ And there was nothing they or anyone else could do to bring her back.

It was the same emptiness I felt in Ken, like the only one who understood him was gone. I still don't know who he lost, just that... the person had been _really_ important. And by living, Ken was only risking to lose more. Despair so complete that no speck of hope or light could be seen. Yeah, you wouldn't think it by looking at me, but I understand it all pretty well.

And then one day, as I sat under a tree watching the other kids play at recess... it hit me.

" _ **Promise me, that you will live."**_

My breath caught in my throat. _This_ was what Mai had meant. What I had been doing since her death, wasn't living. I was so stuck on the past that I wasn't living in the present. She knew it would happen, and... Mai didn't want that for me. I had made her a promise, and I was breaking it. I saw it now. She was gone, but I was still here. And from that moment on, I promised myself that I would love and live with all that I was. And through everything I did, every person I met; Mai would live again through me. I'd take what she taught me, how to help and inspire others. To see the best in people, and help them see it too. It may not always work, but I swore I would try. And I always will, because that's who I am. I will give all this and more back to the world, _**because I can.**_

Ken needed me more than anyone I ever met. I could feel it in my bones. And the final reason I did, was because of _Kari._

That was why I approached her first when I asked the others if Ken could join. Because you see, Kari had been the first person since Mai who really understood me. Kari, _saved_ me from the lingering loneliness I still felt since Mai's death.

I never really had a lot of people you would call _friends._ Buddies? Pals? Sure! I had tons of those. But people I truly trusted to let see my softer side? Yeah, no. Didn't have many of those. I'm a pretty intense person, I fully admit it. And I've found that a lot of people are kinda turned off by that. But it's who I am and I'm not going to change.

When I first moved to the area, I pretty much made a fool out of myself. I was overdoing it because of the promise I had made to Mai. And really it kinda backfired on me. Three weeks in and no one would even look at me, let alone call me their friend. But Kari... she saw past all that.

"You're trying too hard," said Kari one day as she walked up and sat beside me on the playground.

"What?" I eyed her oddly, wondering what her problem was.

"You remind me a lot of my brother," she added with a smile and then... extended her hand. "My name's Kari by the way... So you want to be friends?"

And just like that... the two of us became almost inseparable. It was almost like having Mai back again.

Kari could tell how lonely I was, and she just reached out... and pretty much saved me.

Let me tell you, after going through all that... and then seeing Kari suddenly flatline when she was sick in the hospital, nearly drove me over the deep-end. I remember _**screaming...**_

" _Please! Please! Kari, no! Don't leave me like Mai! Please, don't die!"_

 _ ***Flash of Golden Light***_

Yeah, I really don't like to think too hard about that day. I'd also like to add in that hospitals suck. Seen too much bad crap happen in them to think otherwise.

But anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, Kari. Of all my friends, I thought that she would be the one to hear me out and give Ken a chance. She did for me after all. I know Ken's done a lot more rotten stuff than I had. But still... Kari didn't say much when I approached her with the idea. But I could tell that she really didn't agree.

Okay, not gonna lie... that kinda hurt a bit. So next I went to Cody. Kinda hoping that having lost someone close as well that he might cut Ken a little slack. Yeah... he didn't say much either. Cody's motions with his Kendo stick said more than his words ever could. If Ken's truly sorry, then let his actions speak for him. All right dude, I can respect that. Still doesn't solve the problem that things in the Digital World are getting worse, and we could really use his help sooner rather than later...

Then I went to Yolei, hoping that some part of her old crush on Ken still held strong enough for her to listen to me. To her credit, she at least heard me out and gave it a lot of thought. But once again, Yolei brought up that digimon we saw him destroy. Honestly, the world isn't all black and white! The guilt and sorrow Ken had expressed after finding out what he had done was totally real! There has to be a reason why he decided to kill that digimon, we just don't know what it is yet!

So well... yeah, Yolei also turned me down. I was just so disgusted with all of my friends at that point that I didn't even _bother_ bringing it up to T.P. Since none of the others listened, I highly doubted he would. That and T.L.'s already made it very clear about how he feels about the darkness in general. He did take on Ken barehanded once, … but then again so did _I_ , so maybe I'm not really the best one to judge.

After that I decided, fine, whatever. So I went off alone to find Ken and talk to him myself. The one thing all my friends have seemed to forgotten is that we are all human. No matter how 'good' we all think we are, everyone screws-up sometimes. Also the Crest of Kindness never would have gone back to Ken if he were still lost. I just... kinda _**know.**_

So after a train ride and bit of searching, I eventually found Ken. It was really odd, I just sorta had a feeling where to look. Maybe it has to do with us being DNA digivolving partners? The heck if I know.

Anyway, I turned on the patented Motomiya charm. Made some jokes, tried to lighten the mood. He wasn't really buying it though. I could still feel the raw pain radiating off of him.

Then he asked me, _"What makes you so special?"_

Special? _Me?_ Well, honestly I don't think that at all. I'm just doing what I believe is right... and you need me Ken, even if you can't see it yet. You're being too hard on yourself. If you're not careful, it's going to destroy what's left of you...

I pleaded with him to join us, but he refused.

As I watched Ken turn and walk away, I suddenly felt someone's presence close by. I slowly turned and looked up and to the right. I was completely surprised to see... Patamon and _T.K.?_ What on earth were they doing up there? How'd they even find us? For a while, we just stared at one another. I wouldn't break eye-contact and neither would he. It was... _**weird**_ , only real way to describe it. It was like in that moment, we could both tell what the other was thinking. T.K.'s eyes were clearly pleading with me, _I want to give him another chance, but I have to ask, what happens if you're wrong?_

I stared back with all I had. _Then we'll deal with it, but I will not sit by and let him drown in his own sorrow. He deserves a second chance, and you know it._

Then suddenly, T.K. broke off with light sigh. The blond briefly smiled and nodded his head, bringing our battle of wills to an end. And with that, he then simply turned and started walking off with Patamon.

"Davis..." DemiVeemon glanced up at them and then back to me in confusion. "What was that all about?"

"I'm not entirely sure," I confessed with a sigh. "But I think that was T.A.'s way of saying that he supports what we're doing and that we're the only ones who can do it."

Guess Ken's not the only one guilty about making assumptions. I should have trusted T.K. more. He is the Destined of Hope after all.

So there you have it. You wanted to know, so I told you. There were lots of things that made me reach out to Ken. But the most important thing to remember is that I _**did.**_ Ken needed my help, and eventually, he reached _**back**_. And now, we're the best of friends. Sometimes, it takes the actions of someone else to help you find the light again. Mai and Kari taught me that long ago.

So in the end, why did I reach out?

Because I _**could**_ , it's just who I am.

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 **~The End~**

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 **Author's Notes:** Well there you have it people! My first real attempt at a full first person POV fic with free flowing thoughts. Its been something I wanted to do for a while. I do have one other Davis fic planned. This one would take place when Davis is left alone to fight Malomyotismon while the others are trapped in their dreams. I think it'll be called " **Wrong Choice."** But you guys and girls have to fave and review this fic to let me know that you want it! Hope you all enjoyed the story as much as I did writing it.

 **Please remember to read, fave, and review!**


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